Michael Danquah, a UK-based Ghanaian economist and political observer, has attributed the defeat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the recent general elections to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia inheriting the failings of President Akufo-Addo’s government.
According to Danquah, Bawumia, who campaigned as the NPP’s presidential candidate, would have had a better chance if he had been allowed to run his own administration.
In a conversation with 3news.com, Danquah noted that one of the key challenges Bawumia faced during the election was his inability to distance himself from the economic and political problems that had plagued Akufo-Addo’s government. “If Bawumia had been allowed to lead his own government, he would have adopted a different approach,” he said. “But the shadow of Akufo-Addo’s presidency loomed large over his campaign, and he couldn’t escape the consequences of the government’s actions.”
Danquah acknowledged that while President Akufo-Addo had been criticized for arrogance and abuse of power, these accusations did not apply to Dr. Bawumia, who is widely regarded as a humble and less divisive figure. “Dr. Bawumia cannot be accused of arrogance. He is known for his humility,” Danquah observed, adding, “While Akufo-Addo was often seen as a divisive leader, Bawumia is different in that regard.”
On the economic front, Danquah suggested that had Bawumia become president, the country’s economic situation might have been handled differently. “It’s only a matter of time before Ghanaians will appreciate what Bawumia was trying to do or would have done,” he said. “I believed he would have been a good president, and I thought he would have done far better than Akufo-Addo.”
Danquah expressed hope that the incoming president, John Dramani Mahama, would deliver on his promises and not fail the Ghanaian people.
Meanwhile, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, spokesperson for John Mahama, also weighed in on the defeat of the NPP, claiming that Bawumia had become a symbol of the failings of the Akufo-Addo administration. Speaking at the office of John Mahama in Accra on December 9, Mogtari remarked, “Bawumia has become the signature of Akufo-Addo’s failure.”
In his concession speech on December 8, Dr. Bawumia acknowledged Mahama’s victory, stating that the data from their own collated results showed Mahama had won the presidential election decisively. He also congratulated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for their victory in the parliamentary elections. “I just called H.E. John Mahama to congratulate him,” Bawumia said, adding that he would offer full support during the transition process to ensure a smooth handover of power.
